Tornado-proof building



' Model.

' 1). BLANGHARD.

TORNADO 300? BUILDING.

- No. 439,376. Patented 001;. 28, 1890.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIII WEE/05505: l Qjfiigiki PATENT O FIC DUDLEY BLANCHARD, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

TORNADO-PROOF eolLom'o.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,376, 1290. stun No. 360,316. (No model.) i

Application filed my 30,

dated October 28, 1890.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DUDLEY BLANCHARD, of Brooklyn, Kings county, in the State of New York, have invented a certain new and Improved Building and Supports Therefor;

. and I do hereby declare that the following is a full and exact description thereof. I

The object of the invention is to provide more perfectly than heretofore against injury from tornadoes or other violent storms. construct a building sharpened form, adapted to part the current of air like the bow of a vessel, and provide ciently strong means for automatically turning it to present that endv 1n the direction from which a suffivide for holding the building stiffly under all ordinary conditions and y when the wind is violent.

The accompanying drawings form'a part of this specification and represent what I consider the best means of carrying out the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view. Fig. 2 is a side elevation, and Fig." 3 is 'a vertical cross-section of a portion on a larger scale.

' Similar letters of reference indicate conespending parts in all the figures where they appear.

A is a stout pivot-post of cast iron, steel, or other suitable material, stifily held in an exactly perpendicular position.

B is a circular railway, and C are wheels running thereon.

D is a stout foundation-plate held down by bolts D to anchors D In the upper surface of D is a circular groove (1, in which runs a set of iron balls E'.

G is a light stronglybraced building resting on the balls E and wheels 0, steadied latej;al1y by the pi-votA, A large and strong strikes the building,

wing or vane G is fixed at one end, and both ends are wedge shaped. When a tornado I it turns on its pivot A and presents thewedge-shap'ed end G so that the current of air with H H are a set of jack-screws capable of being accurately-adjusted under the many points, so as to hold it firmly under all ordinary conditions. The adjustable props ceived, they continue to in an elongated and wind is received. T'also prosetting it free to turn resist wind;

building at formed by these jack-screws H are narrow.

They hold the building strong wind 'is received. When such isrehold the building stationary if the wind comes in the direction for which the house is adjusted; but if it comes in any other direction the torsional force due to the action of the wind on the wing or tail G will throw down the jackscrews H and setthe building free to turn, audit will then by the force of the wind be turned until the end G is presented toward the wind. These parts H constitute adj ustable props. r

In the structure of the house G, I can use woodnranetal put together in any approved firmly until 'a very manner to p'romote'tlie convenience of the ends provide the end G occupants or-the strength of the building 11(1):

adapted to resist impact such as might be received from flying dbris from other buildmgs. 4

'Modifications may be made by any good -mechanic without departing from; the principle or sacrificing the advantages of the invention. Part of the invention can be used without the whole. I can use narrow props.

of wood or other material adapted to be thrown dow'n bya sufiicient turning force without any screwsor other provision for adjusting their height, or I can use the invention with some success without any props.

My tornado proof building may be used alone as the only residence for the person or the family to be protected, or it may stand near another house of any ordinary orsuitable construction, ready to boiled to when the emergency arises. When used thus as a place of temporary refuge, it may be less liberally provided with windows, chimneys, &c. p My swiveling building may be made of any size, and, if required, of more than one story. It may have all the accommodations for continuous and permanent residence. It is especially adapted for use as a hospital or as a hospital adjunct, the wheels being acted on by a pinch-bar or otherwise to turn the building at will, so as to present the sick-room to the ICO day, or to present the rooms to receive the to be easily thrown down by a turning mwind directly through in any desired manner t-ion of thebuilding, as herein specified. in all cases of moderate wind. For such uses 4. Narrow props adjustable 1n helght by the large vane or wing G should be retained, turning screws therein, in combination with v 5 ready to serve if a tornado strikes the builda swiveling building and adapted to hold it 35 ing; but the adjustable props H may beenstifily under all ordinary conditions, but to y Pensed with. set it free to turn when the wind is sufiicie'ntly I attach importance to the fact that the strong, as herein specified. building, with its vane G, is of greater length 5. The combination of the pivot A, clrcular to than breadth, and is pivoted out of the centrack B, wheels 0, and swiveling building G, 40

ter, so that the excess of length ,onone side having one and G adapted to receive the of the center will, when it is subjected tothe current of air and theimpact of fragments of force of a strong wind, cause it to turn autoother buildings, and the other end G to rematically and presenta narrow-and sharp ceive the force of the wind laterally ln case surface toward the wind. the building is not in the best position and 45 I claim as-my invention to cause it to turn, in combination also w 1th 1. A swiveling house pivoted out of the provisions, as the jack-screws H, for holding center of length and arranged to turn with the building firmly underordinary condltlons the force of a strong wind so as to present and. releasing it and allowing it to turn when one face always toward such wind, as herein the-wind" is sufliciently violentto require it, :o'

specified. all substantially as herein specified.

2. The building G, having asharpen'ed end' In testimony whereof I have hereunto set G adapted to divide a current of air, in commy, hand, at New York city, this 19th day of bination with provisions, as the pivot A and June, 1890, in the presence of two subscribing z 5 circular track B, and wheels C running upon witnesses.

such track and the vane G for causing the V i building to be turned by the wind to present DUDLEY BLANCHARDE the end G thereto, as herein specified. Witnesses:

3; Narrow props H, in combination with a CHARLES R. SEARLE, I

swiveling building G, the props being adapted I CHAS. S. BARBER; 

